A tanker carrying 11,000 tonnes of sunflower oil has been left adrift off the coast of Bulgaria after its towline snapped. A salvage operation initiated from the Romanian port of Constanța to secure the vessel was suspended due to severe weather conditions.
Sea-news.az reports citing foreign media outlets, that the incident occurred on November 4 when the towline parted while the tanker was being towed by the tugboat Ramazan Bey. Although the connection was subsequently re-established, one of the responding tugboats collided with the tanker during the maneuver.
A distress call was issued at 04:20, prompting Romanian maritime port authorities to launch a rescue operation for the seven crew members aboard. Hostile weather conditions precluded the deployment of search-and-rescue helicopters. A Dutch-flagged tugboat operating nearby rescued three sailors and safely transferred them to the port of Mangalia, while the remaining four crew members declined evacuation.
The damaged tugboat was safely brought to an anchorage, whereas the tanker continues to drift near the Shabla region of Bulgaria. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Bulgaria, communication has been established with the shipowner.
It should be noted that the tanker was previously targeted in an attack off the coast of Odesa.
